Muscle gaining tips???

crisanderson27

One more thing, for the record, this is the workout I'm using:

Another Bodyweight Culture article, this one courtesy Cheesedog at:

http://www.bodyweightculture.com/forum/showthread.php?11058-Bodyweight-Strength-Training

Bodyweight Strength Training

People are always asking about strength training using only bodyweight. This is nothing new or revolutionary. I am borrowing HEAVILY from Rippatoe, Bill Starr, and lots of other great authors and trainers. This is your basic 5 x 5 template. (To clarify, 5x5 is 5 reps x 5 sets. The idea is to work at a difficulty level where you could only do maybe 7-8 reps on the first set, and are struggling to finish 5 reps on the last set). You would do strength training 3 times a week, say Monday-Wednesday-Friday with the weekends off. These are done "lazy circuits" style, with about 1 minute rest between each set.

Workout A
1A. Knee dominant - 5 x 5
1B. Horizontal push - 5 x 5
1C. Horizontal pull - 5 x 5
2A. Ab - flexion - 3 x 5
2B. Ab - static 3 x 30 seconds

Workout B
1A. Knee dominant - 5 x 5
1B. Vertical push - 5 x 5
1C. Hip dominant - 5 x 5
1D. Vertical pull - 5 x 5
2A. Ab - rotation - 3 x 5
2B. Grip and neck training - 3 x varies

Exercise Progressions - with regular weight training you can just add weight to the bar. With bodyweight progression is mostly about changing your leverage. These are just a few examples, I'm sure we could come up with dozens more if needed. You can always add resistance in the form of a weighted vest or backpack or resistance bands.

1. Knee Dominant -- squats, lunges, step-ups, bulgarian split squats, unilateral bent leg deadlift, partial one leg squat, one leg squat, box or stair pistols, full pistols.
2. Horizontal Push -- pushups, decline pushups, resistance pushups, side to side pushups, stair one arm pushups, negative one arm pushups, full one arm pushups.
3. Horizontal Pull -- body row, resistance body row, negative one hand row, incline one hand row, full one hand row.
4. Ab - flexion -- crunches, situps, resistance or incline situps, reverse situp, resistance or incline reverse situps, hanging knee or leg raise, hanging pikes, rollout from knees, rollout from feet, dragon flag. Also included are oblique moves like side lying crunches with or without resistance and side lying two leg raise.
5. Abs- static -- 4 point prone bridge, 3 point prone bridge, 2 point prone bridge, 4 point supine bridge, 3 point supine bridge.
6. Vertical Push -- pike pushup, hindu pushup, divebomber pushup, decline pike pushup, decline hindu pushup, decline divebomber pushup, one arm pike pushup, negative handstand pushup, handstand pushup with head touching floor, full handstand pushup.
7. Hip Dominant -- supine hip extension, good morning, one leg stiff leg deadlift, split one leg good morning, one leg supine hip extension, hyperextension, one leg hyperextension, natural glute-ham raise.
8. Vertical Pull -- jumping or assisted pullups, pullups, resistance pullups, side to side pullups, negative one hand pullups, one hand pullups. All these can refer to chinups or neutral grip pullups as well.
9. Ab - rotation -- twist crunches or situps, resistance or incline twist crunches or situps, russian twists, lying windshield wipers, standing rope rotations, hanging windshield wipers.
10. Grip and Neck Training -- for grip you can use handgrippers, deadhangs from a pullup bar (especially a fatbar or gripping a towel). For neck nothing beats wrestlers bridges. If you are involved in a striking martial art or sport, finger and fist pushups are very important also.

None of these lists have to end here. If you get strong enough you can always add resistance to your full range of motion one limb exercise. Or if you can do more than 5 one hand pushups do decline one hand pushups, or start working on one hand hindu and then eventually one hand dive bombers, and so on.

crisanderson27

Ok, they had full free weights, and everything else I need...$35/mo, and I can go 24hrs a day.

I now have a gym membership lol.

joejccva71

Sweet Cris.

Now you can incorporate SQUATS and DEADLIFTS into your 5x5 routine.

One thing I have to say about doing the Squat. It is imperative: (I'm going to quote Mark Rippetoe here)

"There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that provides the level of central nervous activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat."

Unless you have SERIOUS back problems like multiple disc hernations, then the squat is a MUST exercise in your routine, especially 5x5.

crisanderson27

Sweet Cris.

Now you can incorporate SQUATS and DEADLIFTS into your 5x5 routine.

One thing I have to say about doing the Squat. It is imperative: (I'm going to quote Mark Rippetoe here)

"There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that provides the level of central nervous activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat."

Unless you have SERIOUS back problems like multiple disc hernations, then the squat is a MUST exercise in your routine, especially 5x5.

I somehow missed this reply!

I'm still getting used to the gym...I've swapped out my main exercises for weighted versions. The gym director suggested I use the smith machine for squats at first...and so I am. I'm currently at 5*5, 180#, and was planning on 185# tomorrow. Is like to transition to real squats soon.

End6ame

Sweet Cris.

Now you can incorporate SQUATS and DEADLIFTS into your 5x5 routine.

One thing I have to say about doing the Squat. It is imperative: (I'm going to quote Mark Rippetoe here)

"There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that provides the level of central nervous activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic conditioning than the correctly performed full squat."

Unless you have SERIOUS back problems like multiple disc hernations, then the squat is a MUST exercise in your routine, especially 5x5.

I somehow missed this reply!

I'm still getting used to the gym...I've swapped out my main exercises for weighted versions. The gym director suggested I use the smith machine for squats at first...and so I am. I'm currently at 5*5, 180#, and was planning on 185# tomorrow. Is like to transition to real squats soon.

No, no, no no. The smith machine is like trying to learn to fly a plane by playing video games, you will not learn properly, that way. Just start squatting with light weight (just the bar) to learn proper form, then start adding weight.

myofibril

No, no, no no. The smith machine is like trying to learn to fly a plane by playing video games, you will not learn properly, that way. Just start squatting with light weight (just the bar) to learn proper form, then start adding weight.

What he said.

The smith machine is an expensive coat rack in most instances. Sure it is an easier way to start lifting heavy in the short term. In the long run though learning proper form with a light weight using just a barbell and then progressively overloading will take you much further.

Instead of a traditional back squat you coud try a goblet squat as well. It's a relatively straight forward exercise and is easy to progress with.